Worth the replay?

1. #1

   HawksatWizards

   NBA

   D

   23/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23

2. #2

   ClippersatLakers

   NBA· NBC/Peacock

   D

   20/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 27 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 20

3. #3

   Magicat76ers

   NBA· NBC/PeacockOne-sided

   D

   15/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15

Ranked from each game's win probability as it was played (ESPN's for football and basketball; ours, from the goals, for hockey): how in doubt it was near the end, how far the winner came back from, how late it was decided, how big its momentum swings were and how often a team erased a deficit, with a bonus for overtime. That drama is then weighted by how good a matchup it was going in (its pre-game Watchability score), so a thriller between top teams ranks above an equally wild game between minor ones.